


Cat in the Castle

by Milly_Blank



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Best mom, F/F, Good Parent Angella (She-Ra), Not Canon Compliant, Past Child Abuse, Princess Catra (She-Ra), but she loves them, catra is a terror, catra is adopted, glimmer is a brat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:41:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24997777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milly_Blank/pseuds/Milly_Blank
Summary: One bitter autumn night Angella found Catra rooting through her castle's kitchen for food. She knew what she had to do. Adopt the abandoned little cat girl.
Relationships: Angella & Catra (She-Ra), Bow & Catra (She-Ra), Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra & Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 61
Kudos: 369





	1. Chapter 1

It was a cold, quiet night in Brightmoon. The mid Autumn days were growing shorter, and nights more bitter. Queen Angella couldn't sleep. She had grown used to sleepless nights. The stresses and uncertainties of running a kingdom weighed heavy on her. Even after all these decades.

Of course the war made things harder still. Even though she had abandoned a full on engagement with the Horde, as most of the kingdoms have, she still couldn't shake nagging fears, the nagging...guilt. Every night she went to bed feeling like a coward.

So now, here she was, like most nights, walking the empty halls of her castle in the dead of night, desperately trying to shake the all too familiar sensation of helplessness. 

She had just turned the corner near the main dinning hall when she heard a slight clattering coming from the kitchen. Quietly, the queen tiptoed to the kitchen door, and pushed it open gently. The sounds of pans and boxes being tossed about were accompanied by a small voice. 

"Food..please...please...isn't there any real food in this place?!" the voice harshly whispered. "Come on!" They sounded like they were on the verge of tears...or were already crying. 

Angella let out a soft sigh and sent out a small ball of light from her hands. The room was bathed with a dim pink light. Angella surveyed the room, looking for the intruder, and caught a pair of mis-matched eyes staring back at her. 

A small cat girl, who couldn't have been older than nine or ten years old, stood frozen in front of her. Her mane of hair was wild and dirty. Her clothes were ripped and worn. The bottoms of her pants were splotched with drying mud. She looked so scared. Angella put her hands up in front of her, trying to show the girl she meant her no harm. "Hello, there." 

The girl's expression shifted and now she looked determined. She quickly started to scamper around the kitchen's platting station and behind Angella. She was fast, her feet slipping and sliding on the polished marble floor. Angella turned and called after her as she headed for the door. "Wait! I'm not going to hurt you! I can give you food!"

She slid to a sudden stop and turned to face Angella. The girl eyed her suspiciously. "...Really?..."

"Of course." Angella said, smiling warmly. She made her way slowly over to the light switch. It felt like any suddenly movement was sure to startle this girl, so calm and gentle seemed like the best approach. With a flick, the kitchen lit up in a warm, even light. 

The cat girl seemed amazed looking at the large kitchen in the light. She wrapped her arms around herself as she took small steps away from the door. "...everything looks so clean.." she heard her mumble. She then looked down, spying the muddy paw prints she left on the floor. 

Angella bent down and picked up the various mixing bowls and utensils the girl had thrown around the ground and put them back into the cupboard. The girl's tail lashed around in the air as her posture became clearly guarded. Angella smiled at her, but the girl fixed her gaze firmly at the ground. "You...said you'd give me food?..."

"Oh yes! I'm sure there must be some leftover casserole in the icebox..." Angella fished around in the large icebox until she found a covered dish. "Ah! Here it is." She grabbed a fork, then turned around to see the girl had shrunk into herself, gripping her arms tightly in her small clawed hands. Angella put out her hand. "Come along, let's go sit and you can eat." The girl didn't take her hand, but followed her to the wooden table on the other side of the room. 

The girl hopped up into the chair and looked at the food in front of her. She eyed the fork and picked it up. It looked awkward in her hand, seemingly not used to using one. She hesitantly dug her fork in and brought some casserole to her mouth. She gave Angella one more look before taking the plunge and shoving the forkful into her mouth. Her eyes lit up and she was soon scooping up pieces with her fork and shoveling them into her mouth furiously. 

Angella quietly took a seat across the table from her and watched the girl's tail sway happily as she ate. As the girl's feeding frenzy continued Angella felt safe to start a conversation. "My name is Angella. What's your name?" She tried to give her warmest smile. The last thing she need was for this poor girl to be scared. If she fled she may never see her again, who knows what would happen to her. She seemed desperate and lost. 

"Catra." She let out in between mouthfuls. 

"It's nice to meet you, Catra." The girl gave her a confused look, as if working out a puzzle only she knew needed solving. "Are you lost? Did you need help finding your family?" Catra looked at the ground again and shook her head no. Angella noticed dozens of small cuts, in various states of healing, underneath the fur on Catra's arms. "Do you feel like telling me how you got here, Catra?"

She still kept her eyes on the floor. She was shaking. "I--I...I have no where to go...They sent me to die in the woods...It was getting so cold and I walked for days...I didn't--" Angella got up and bent down next to Catra. Even on a knee she towered over the girl. Catra looked up at her, her eyes wet with the beginning of tears. Angella wrapped Catra up in her arms. She sat there, rigid and trembling. As Angella was beginning to think better of continuing the hug, Catra leaned into her and her body stopped tensing. 

"Are you a princess?" Catra mumbled through Angella's arms. 

"Yes. Well, a queen..." Angella found herself gently carding her fingers through Catra's hair like she does for Glimmer when she was upset. "Where are you from, Catra? are you from one of the villages?" She could feel the girl gently shake her head no, her fuzzy cheeks brushing against Angella's arm. 

"The Horde." She said softly. 'Once again, The Horde proves it's only capable of cruelty...' Angella thought. She heard Catra sniffle and suck in a deep breath. The girl was crying, quietly. 'Who makes a child hurt like this?'

Angella pulled back, her hands finding Catra's shoulders. She looked down at the small cat girl and gave her a gentle smile. "How about after you finish eating, we find you a place to sleep? How does that sound?"

She wiped some of her tears away and looked up at Angella. "Okay."

After eating nearly half a tray of casserole, Catra was following Angella down the dark hall toward the guest rooms. She heard Catra's feet as they made unsteady steps. The girl clearly still had reservations about even being in the castle. She began to think again perhaps she should hold a hand out for the girl to take, maybe reassure her...but as the thought reached her they were already at the guest room nearest the Queen's quarters. 

"This is your room, Catra. Feel free to make yourself comfortable. I'll see if I can find you some clothes to sleep in and I'll be right back." Catra looked up at her and gave a shaky nod. Angella smiled and returned her nod and headed toward Glimmer's room to grab something for Catra. But soon she noticed Catra was still following her. The second she was noticed she dropped her head and looked at the ground. 

"It's okay if you don't feel safe alone, Catra. You don't have to be alone if you don't want to."

Catra kicked her clawed foot to the ground and mumbled. "I'm not scared..."

Angella leaned down as close to Catra's level as she could. "I didn't say you were scared. And even if I had...even if you were scared, would that have been so bad? It's okay to be scared, Catra." Catra looked up at her. Her yellow and blue eyes studied Angella's. 

"They told us princesses were mean...how come you're not?..."

Angella looked at her warmly. "I don't know...I guess I've found being mean doesn't feel very good."

"...I'm mean sometimes...I think I might be too mean to be here."

Angella put out her hand. "How about you let me worry about if you're meant to be here or not? I'm the queen and I've decided you can stay here as long as you want to." Catra reluctantly took Angella's hand. She gently stood and lead Catra down the hallway by the hand. "Also you're allowed to be juuust a little mean."Angella winked and Catra let out a little laugh. "Just know you can talk to me if you feel scared or sad or angry."

Catra looked up at her and gave a few quick nods. "Good. Then let's get you something to wear, shall we?"

* * * * *

"Mom!" Angella awoke to the sound of her daughter's annoyed whispers. She was poking her gently in the shoulder with her pointer finger. "Mom!!"

"Glimmer I'm awake...what is it?" She asked rubbing her eyes. 

"I came in to tell you breakfast was ready but then I saw--" Glimmer pointed to ground near the door. Catra was curled up, in the blankets she must have dragged with her from the guest room, quietly snoring. She had somehow sneaked into Angella's room sometime in the night. "There's a girl sleeping on your floor..." Glimmer eyed Catra suspiciously and looked back at her mother. "Who is she?"

Glimmer had just turned eight. She was feisty, smart mouthed, and very brave. She pushes the limits of her powers. Sometimes she'll just disappear and come back bruised and filthy but buzzing with excitement over the fun she had exploring. She hasn't had many chances to make friends. She had always been a very lonely little girl...after her Father...she would run off to sulk or find some high place to hide. And being a princess didn't allow many chances to be around kids her age. Angella feared her daughter would grow up unhappy and isolated. 

"Her name's Catra. I found her in the kitchen last night looking for food...She was abandoned in the woods so I offered to let her stay with us."

Glimmer's confused pout quickly became a wide grin. "Really?!" Angella nodded. "Yay! We could play hide and seek in the castle, and tell ghost stories, and explore the woods together!"

"Of course! I'm sure Catra will be very happy to have someone to play with. But honey..." She took Glimmer's little hands in hers. "She had a tough time before she found us, so don't push her, and try and be patient with her."

The pout formed back on Glimmer's face a moment before looking up at Angella. "Okay, mom..."

Suddenly Catra stirred, trashing a bit in the loose bedding on the floor. Catra shot up with a start and panted. Her eyes, wide and unfocused, were pointed right at the queen's bed. She gasped for air and shook. 

Angella slowly moved Glimmer so she could stand and knelled down next to the panicked cat girl. She raised her hands so Catra could see them but didn't move them any closer to her. "Catra? Are you okay?"

After taking several ragged breaths Catra's eyes started to focus on Angella's. Her expression hardened as she slowly became more aware of her surroundings. She turned her gaze to the ground. "I'm fine..." Angella watched her clutch the blankets in her hands and twist them. 

"You know if you're not fine, you can tell me, right?" Angella half whispered. 

Catra scoffed and held tighter to her blankets. "Whatever..."

"But anyway! There's someone here who'd like to meet you!"

"...Me?..."

"Yes! Glimmer?" Angella looked over her shoulder at her daughter. She was standing staring at Catra, seemingly unsure on what to do. "Glimmer...come here and meet Catra." Angella reached out her hand, and Glimmer took it. She lead Glimmer around and in front of Catra. The two girls just stared at each other a moment. "Catra this is my daughter, Glimmer. Glimmer this is Catra."

Catra studied Glimmer as she climbed to her feet. She leaned in and looked her up and down. Glimmer folded in on herself, unsure how to handle the intense attention. Catra circled the small chubby pink princess the looked at her in the face. She let out a little huff. "You're sparkly." 

"Yeah..." Glimmer managed to say. Then she looked at Catra, with her own little exacting eye. "Yeah well...you're furry..." Catra let out a little growl. "...wanna play hide and seek?"

Catra's expression softened slightly, thinking over the invitation. "Okay, but you're going to lose, Sparkles!" Catra suddenly ran out the door. 

She called after her. "My name is Glimmer!" She looked up at her mom a moment, gave a small smile and chased after Catra. "I'm gonna find you!!" she yelled sprinting out into the hall. 

Angella gently picked up Catra's blankets and folded them. She knew things seemed simple and easy right now. Catra clearly was hiding a lot of what happened to her. She was evasive and seemed scared of saying too much. Patience would be key with helping her. And that is what Angella decided she'd do.

Perhaps one day a loving parent or parents would be found for Catra, but right now Angella decided she'd take on that role herself if she had to. She decided she would protect that child like her own. No one was going to hurt her again. 

Angella let out a sigh and started to get ready for her day.


	2. Chapter 2

Catra found the castle surprisingly quiet. Even with how big it was, and how many important looking people rushed around in it, it was still much more quiet than she was used to. The few weeks in Brightmoon have made Catra realize just how different it was from how she grew up. Everything felt so strange. 

She was no longer required to wake up at dawn. Which was a great relief to Catra. She had never been an early riser, even after nearly five years in the academy. The nightmares, and cramped barracks didn't help her sleep either. But then again....those barracks also had Adora...

She missed Adora terribly. She wasn't sure if Adora even knew or cared where she was. That day, when she was lead away by Cobalt out of the locker room, she had no idea that could have been the last time she ever saw Adora. She can't shake the image of those pale blue eyes swirling with concern and confusion. 

But now she was here. In Brightmoon. And now she had no real responsibilities. No schedule. No routine. Nothing felt quite real. She got to play, and scream, and laugh all she wanted. She could spend hours hidden some place and no one was mad because she was expected to be running drills. No one was there to grab her too tightly by the arm and force her to run until she threw up. No one to scream in her face when she was too tired to stand at attention. No one there to pull her into a room and hit her until she blacked out. 

No. The people here seemed...nice. It still made Catra uneasy. People being nice usually meant they wanted something from you. Catra expected one day for the queen to sit her down and tell her 'now that you've had your fun, it's time to pay me what you owe' and force her into servitude or hard labor. 

The princess wasn't really one of these nice people. At least not most of the time. Most of the time she was pushy, and argumentative. She used her powers when they played tag even though every time they agreed beforehand she wouldn't. Catra wasn't against playing dirty but that was unfair. She would ask Catra a bunch of questions even when Catra told her she wanted to be left alone and then say Catra was 'being difficult'. She also would tease Catra in ways that made her feel weird. 

Like during dinner she often would make fun of Catra for not knowing how to use a knife and fork very well. This was all new to her. She'd grown up only eating ration bars with her bare hands. The only person she knew who ate like this, ate anything other than ration bars, was Shadow Weaver and Catra wasn't allowed to look at her while she ate. Now everyone was eating like she does and she had no idea what to do with her eyes. 

But Glimmer wasn't all bad. She never really made a big deal about finding Catra sleeping on her floor or on top of her bookshelf most nights. That was the strangest feeling in Brightmoon. Privacy. Most everyone had their own rooms and slept by themselves. Catra had spent so many years only sleeping next to people...next to Adora. Some mornings she'll still roll over and look up expecting to see her look back down at her and say 'Good morning, Catra'. 

This morning she woke up on one of the stairs leading to Glimmer's hanging bed. Glimmer was still asleep and like always, slept with a slight scowl. Despite everything, she and Angella seemed nothing like The Horde said they'd be. Glimmer was bossy and stubborn but she wasn't evil. She wasn't some little monster torturing innocent people with her dark magic powers. And Angella was...just nice. The idea of a nice adult seemed impossible just a few weeks ago. It's still may be impossible. Catra often would leave a conversation with Angella and have to tell herself not to get her hopes up too high. The bottom was sure to fall out. 

"How come you don't use your bed?" Catra jumped a little. She was shook from her waking fog by Glimmer's muffled voice. She looked up at the pink haired princess, her eyes were closed, her cheek pressed against her upper arm. "You always end up in my room." She mumbled out through the side of her mouth.

Catra pulled her blankets up to her chest and looked away. "I dunno...I'm used to sleeping around lotsa people I guess..."

Glimmer made a little sleepy noise before she mumbled again. "Well if you're gonna sleep here, didja want a bed? I can ask my mom to have one put on the ground..." Suddenly Glimmer shot up. "It would be like bunk beds!!"

"Hmm...I am used to sleeping on bunks..." 

"Really?! You slept on a bunk bed?"

"Yeah. It's not that special. I slept on them all my life..."

"No way! They're so cool! I mean I already sleep on this cool hanging bed that my mom had made! Cuz I teleport and stuff! " Catra nodded as if Glimmer has not said this exact thing to her twice before. "But a bunk bed has like a ladder and you can climb on it and you always have someone right there when you sleep! It's like a sleep over every night!" Glimmer grinned a moment then it fell. "I mean I guess...I've never been to one...but, I heard some older kids in town talking about them and they sound fun!"

"Well I can tell ya sleeping around a lot of people every night gets annoying! Everyone is noisy, and gross! And mean!" Catra looked at her a moment. "Wait..what older kids?"

"In town! I sometimes go there when mom thinks I'm doing my homework!" She giggled and disappeared in a flash and reappeared on the ground, now looking up at Catra still sitting on the stairs. "I pop up into a tree in the square and just watch people do stuff...it's fun!" 

"Climbing stuff is fun! I'm good at it! It's so fun sitting in trees!"

Glimmer hopped a little. "I know! When you get really high up you can see everything!"

Catra picked up her blankets and dragged them down the floating stairs. "When I was in the woods, I climbed a tree really high up! It was fun until it got dark..."

"That's what we can do today! We're going to the Whispering Woods for adventure!" Glimmer said with a grin. 

Catra gave a big yawn. "Adventure?...uh...there was a big comfy chair in the library that looked really nice for a nap..."

Glimmer pouted. This girl pouted even more than Adora. "You're just gonna nap all day?!"

"Maybe." Catra threw her blankets into a crumpled mess onto Glimmer's desk, knocking over her lamp. "In the Horde you're not allowed much sleep so I'm gonna catch up! Maybe I can find a nice sunny windowsill to lay in..."

"Ugh! There are sunny places in the woods!" Glimmer tipped her lamp back upright but didn't move the blankets. "Plus like...I dunno...flat rocks to lie on? Cool bugs and stuff! Oh! We could see who can go up the highest in a tree without being scared!"

Catra theatrically tapped her chin. "Hmm...I dunno, Sparkles...Are you really a challenge?" She grinned. 

"I'm not a scaredy cat...what 'bout you, CAT-ra?" Glimmer grinned back at her and stuck out her tongue.

It was Catra's turn to pout. "Fine. Let's go." Catra headed out Glimmer's door.

"Wait! I need to put on my shoes first! And go to the moonstone! Catra!" Glimmer grabbed her boots and hustled out the door. "Wait up!"

* * * * * * *

"What do you mean you don't have birthday parties!?" Glimmer shouted in disbelief, her voice echoing through the towering, dense trees of the Whispering Woods. "The Horde is weird." 

"Yeah...well I don't see the big deal. Parties are weird and I don't even know when I was born. None of the kids there did. " Catra walked beside Glimmer as they slipped down over a nest of roots and down a path deeper into the woods. The moonstone only just vanishing from view, obscured by the tangled branches. "I mean I don't even really know how old I am."

"Really?" Glimmer asked. 

"Yeah. They just tell you when you move up a year in the academy. I woulda been a sixth year junior cadet in about two months..." Catra's stomach twisted thinking of her home. Was it still that? Home? It was awful but she felt so sick not being there right now. Catra let out a little growl. "Let's find a tree already!"

"I think I mighta found one!" Glimmer pointed to an enormous gnarled tree that twisted up into the sky above them. "It's so big!" She grinned and turned to Catra. "I bet you can't can't get to the top before me!" Glimmer disappeared in a flash. 

"Sparkles!" Catra shouted up at the forest canopy. "No fair! Stop using cheater magic!" Catra scampered on all fours up the trunk of the tree, her claws digging into the soft wood of the bark. She leapt up, grabbed a branch and like an acrobat swung from branch to branch until she found herself standing on top of a sturdy foothold. She looked up at the distance above her, and smiled. She found the rhythm of swinging from a branch, finding a spot to push herself up and leap, while securing herself with her claws. 

Soon, after she'd scaled nearly the whole tree, she found Glimmer sitting with her legs wrapped around either side of a thick branch. "I win!" The princess smiled wide. 

Catra settled on another branch, laying on her side. "Yeah well, not all of us have stupid sparkle powers." Catra closed her eyes wrapped her tail loosely around the branch. 

"Whatever! I still won!" 

"Yeah well, you're not gonna beat me at sitting in this tree though. I'm not scared of anything!" 

Glimmer noticed Catra was settling in for a nap. "Hey! Don't sleep! I'll get bored if you go to sleep! Who am I gonna talk to?"

Catra cracked open her eye and saw Glimmer staring at her. She was pouting, of course. "Is pouting part of Princess school?"

"I don't go to princess school!...oh man...I wish there was a princess school...that'd make things way more easy..." Glimmer wiggled a little, adjusting herself, but gripping firmly to the branch with both arms. "I just have a tutor. She teaches me stuff, assigns me homework. She teaches me in the castle though, so I don't see other kids or anything..."

Suddenly Catra realized she might end up in the same position as Glimmer. But, Angella hadn't sat her down and talked to her about having to go to school or learn like Glimmer. Then again, she was just some worthless abandoned Horde kid...Angella wouldn't waste her time like that on her. 

"When is your mom gonna get rid of me?" Catra suddenly asked after they sat in silence for a while. 

Glimmer looked very confused. "Get ridda you? How do you mean?" 

Catra looked at her, staring into her stupid sparkly purple eyes. She let out a scoff. "Never mind..." Catra slid back and rested her back against the trunk of the tree. She closed her eyes again.

A gust of wind whipped through them both, making them both tremble. They were up there for maybe an hour before Glimmer braved adjusting her position again. Catra heard her let out a few concerning 'woah's and 'uhhh's but ultimately she had succeeded. 

"You get-tting uh....scared yet, Catra?" Glimmer sputtered. It was surprisingly cold and the harsh winds didn't help. Brightmoon's mild winters did nothing mitigate the cold from being so high in the air. 

"Nope. I'm fine. " Catra gave out a big dramatic yawn and then grinned. "How about you, Sparkles?"

"I'm mo-more than fine! I'm gre-great!...just checkin' if yo-you were okay."

"Sure, princess..."

Glimmer sat and shivered for a few minutes. "This isn't fair! It's cold and you have f-f-fur!"

"Not my problem." Catra laughed. 

Suddenly the whole tree shook. Glimmer let out a yelp of surprise. "What's happening?!" 

Catra looked down and watched the trunk wobble and shift. It felt like the tree was moving on its own. The branches on the trees near them seemed much closer than they were just a few moments ago. In the five or six days she had spent in the woods there was more than one occasion where Catra had sworn the forest moved on her. And now it felt that way again. 

"The tree's moving..." Catra said, almost hushed. 

"What?! Moving?" Glimmer was gripped onto the tree for dear life. She very clearly wanted back on solid ground but Catra couldn't tell if Glimmer hadn't just simply teleported away for her sake or so she could still win the challenge.

Then the whole thing lurched. Catra's view slanted. She caught the bright purple of Glimmer's shirt out of the corner of her eye. She felt a strange, short relief that Glimmer was still there. Then the movement became bumpy.The tree was sliding down a hill at an alarming speed.

Glimmer let out a loud, terrified shriek. At least it sounded terrified...most of the time. As the whole ordeal went on Catra could of sworn she heard Glimmer laughing. Laughing hard. When it was clear the tree had settled down, Catra scrambled up to her feet. She saw the small gulch they were now in, the trees around them radiating out from where the tree now somehow seemed firmly rooted once more. 

Glimmer was wobbling as she got to her feet. She had much less grace than Catra in the trees. Her hair was wild, tussled by the fast slide down the hill. "That...was so...COOL!!" Glimmer clung to the trunk of the tree and grinned. "Let's look around where we are!" In a pink flash she was gone. Catra let out a long sigh and went about the task of scaling back down the tree. 

Plopping down on the forest floor by the princess, she let out a soft growl as she spoke. "Stop just poofing way like that!" Suddenly she realized something and bumped her shoulder into Glimmer. "You lost! You left the tree first!" 

Glimmer huffed. "Fine! What do ya want? A medal?" 

Catra thought a moment and smirked. "Yeah! I want a medal! Give me a medal, princess!"

They looked around and saw a high stone structure in the distance. It was jagged and covered in strange geometric shapes. Catra stared in awe. She pointed a claw toward it and poked glimmer. "What is that?"

"I...Don't know..." Glimmer said, seemingly not caring about the finger poking into her ribs. "Let's climb it! Race ya!"

"Wait! Rules first, Sparkles!"

Glimmer grumbled "My name is Glimmer! Stop calling me that!"

Suddenly a roar erupted from the forest. Glimmer and Catra's heads snapped toward the direction of the sound. "Oh no..." Was all Catra could say before an enormous beast with long jagged tusks and six eyes leap down into the gulch with a thundering, shaking thud. 

The girls just stood, frozen in fear for a moment. The beast turned all its eyes on them and let out a rumbling growl. Glimmer's hand found Catra's arm and clenched onto it. Suddenly, the beast let out a roar and charged. 

"Run, Glimmer! Go!" Catra shouted pushing Glimmer away hard. "Hey! You! Look at me! Follow me!" Catra swung her arms wildly. The beast locked in on her. She started to sprint toward the opposite side of the gulch, weaving around trees and listening to the sound of splintering wood and heavy steps growing closer. 

Dropping to all fours, Catra tried to pick up speed. She could see the muddy, steep, jagged slope ahead and just hoped she could make the climb up in time and have the huge monster lose her . But that hope was dashed the moment she felt the tips of tusks grazing against her back. 

Catra zig-zaged and swerved, trying to lose the rampaging beast, but she couldn't keep any real distance. The edge of the gulch was coming up fast but not fast enough. Catra's chest burned as she hear the sound of her shirt ripping. Before she could figure out what that meant, a bright pink flash filled her vision.

It was Glimmer. She had teleported right in front of Catra. She appeared mid-leap and wrapped her arms around Catra and in a flash they were falling into a muddy patch on the top of the gulch. Glimmer let go of the cat girl and then unceremoniously flipped her onto her stomach. 

"Hey!" Catra mumbled into the mud, not having recovered enough oxygen yet to yell. 

Glimmer let out a sigh. "It only got your clothes." Catra could feel Glimmer slump a little against her. She rolled back over and sat up. She looked up at the princess who was on her knees with her eyes closed. Catra watched her take slow deep breaths and suddenly jump to her feet. "DID YOU SEE THAT?!!"

"...What? The big monster that almost squished me??"

"No! Well...yeah that was crazy too, but no! I teleported another person!! For the first time! Ever!"

"That sure was something, Sparkles.." Catra said, running her hand along the back of her neck. 

She jumped up and down. Catra climbed to her feet and Glimmer grabbed her. "Did you see that Catra?!!"

"I told you I did!" Catra said, while Glimmer shook her by the shoulders out of excitement. Catra broke the contact and started walking. "Come on let's head back to the castle. I'm tired and muddy.."

Glimmer smiled wide and followed after Catra. "I teleported another whole person! And I saved you! From a big monster!! And rode a moving tree!! I love magic!"

Catra let out a low hiss. "Shut up and walk faster, I'm tired.." She found her hand reaching to her back and feeling the rips in her clothes. Her claw slipped in and ran against the fur on her back. For a moment, Catra imagined gashes split open across her back and pulls her hand away. "...I hate magic..." She mumbles as she and Glimmer dip down the path and slog through the forest, the sunlight dying behind the tops of the limbs.


	3. Chapter 3

Glimmer hated afternoon tea with her mother. She found it so boring and stuffy. Everyday, when her mom didn't have an afternoon meeting, she would have to stop playing and sit still and sip tea while her mother blathered on at her for an hour. And having Catra there made it worse. Catra went out of her way to annoy her. She would try and drink from her cup like her mother told her to, pinkie up, but Catra would slap her in the face with her tail. Or Catra would eat all of her pastries when she wasn't looking. Or she'd pull faces while her mother was distracted and Glimmer would get in trouble for yelling at her to stop. It was so frustrating! She was so frustrating!

This afternoon tea was no exception. Catra decided today she was just going to kick Glimmer under the table randomly and laugh at her when she naturally reacted. What had she done to deserve this? She was worried about letting a former Horde--anything-- near her but Angella sat her down repeatedly and told her that Catra was 'just a child' and that she had to be kind and patient. But Glimmer knew different. Catra wasn't 'just' anything. She was a full blown menace. 

Catra of course made sure to look good in front of her mother. She doted on Catra. She was always going out of her way to make Catra 'comfortable', when clearly Catra didn't strive to do the same for others. She seemed to live to make Glimmer uncomfortable. Made it a mission over the last few months to drive Glimmer insane. 

They shared a room now. Glimmer insisted, and now she regretted it. She already missed her privacy. She hated the mess Catra made, half eaten food on plates, dozens of half drunken glasses of water and clothes torn up and thrown everywhere. And yes some of the shredded clothes were hers. Catra LOVED finding something of Glimmer's shredding it with her claws, wearing it once and throwing it in a new pile. 

The memory of her looking all afternoon for a dress of hers, and finding Catra cutting it into a tank top played in her head as another slightly sharp kick came from under the table. Glimmer huffed, looked up and saw her mother was talking about some queenly duty thing, while she regally gestured with her eyes closed, and then turned her head to Catra. She was grinning a wide toothy grin. They just stared at each other for a moment. 'Kind and patient' she reminded herself...then Glimmer felt another kick.

And that was it. Glimmer leapt from her seat and tackled Catra to the ground. The table shook and toppled the teacups over. The sound of porcelain rattling mixed with the sound of the two girls scuffling on the marble floor. 

"Get off of me, stupid!" Catra barked as they tussled. 

"No! You're so annoying!" Glimmer grunted as Catra scratched her arms with her nails. Glimmer pressed her weight more on Catra and started swinging her arms at her, not sure if she was trying to hit her or just funneling her wild and unbridled rage. 

"GET OFF OF ME!" Glimmer then noticed Catra was crying. She leaned off of her for a moment, and then Catra twisted her and pushed her to the ground. Now she was sitting on top of Glimmer, and pinning her hands uncomfortably to the ground. It hurt her wrists. 

"Girls! Stop that!" Glimmer's mother called, standing from the table. 

Glimmer looked up at Catra. She looked so angry, but her eyes were still wet with tears. "Don't touch me!" Catra screamed into Glimmer's face. Catra got to her feet and stood over Glimmer, her claws unsheathing. "Not ever!" She hissed before running out of the room. 

Angella watched Catra leave, reaching out her hand for a moment before turning back to Glimmer still on the floor. Her arms were scratched and her eyes were still wide with shock. She turned her wide purple eyes to her mother. She looked angry a moment before her expression softened into a gentle frustration. It was an expression Glimmer knew very well. 

"Explain yourself, Glimmer." 

Glimmer pulled her knees to her chest and looked down. "She kept kicking me..." she mumbled. 

Her mother let out a soft sigh and leaned down as close to eye level with Glimmer as she could manage. "You should have just told me...Nothing is accomplished by lashing out with violence..."

"You wouldn't have done anything anyway..." Glimmer said quietly, not caring if her mother heard her or not. "..you never do..."

Apparently she did because soon Glimmer was in her arms. "I mean it Glimmer. That girl has been....mistreated so I may be a bit more lenient when it comes to her, but..." She sighed. "Glimmer, I want you to feel able to tell me something even if you feel like I'll be mad or upset. I love you. If Catra says or does something that upsets you, or hurts you, you're allowed to come to me. I want both of you to feel safe and loved."

Glimmer looked up at her mother, and looked into her eyes. They were sad. They were always a little sad. But now they were also warm. Glimmer pressed her face into her mother's stomach a moment. "...I need to find Catra...I don't want her to be mad at me..." Glimmer said, her voice muffled by her mother's body. 

The queen leaned back slowly and placed a gentle hand in Glimmer's hair. "I think that's a good idea." She stood up and placed her hand on Glimmer's shoulder. Glimmer nodded and climbed to her feet. 

"Sorry, mom.." She said before bolting out the door, to find Catra. 

* * * * *

Glimmer had searched everywhere, her and Catra's room, the library, the high rafter in the dinning hall that Catra liked to lay on sometimes. She'd even checked the roof she found Catra on when she refused to take a bath. Nothing. She huffed and popped into the gardens. She knew getting angry all over again after she had resolved to apologize to Catra wouldn't solve anything but she couldn't help it. She got so frustrated so easily. Especially when it came to figuring out Catra. 

Suddenly as she took a corner near the tulips she heard a cheer. It sounded like Catra. Glimmer teleported to the noise and appeared a few feet behind Catra. She looked and saw Catra watching a boy about their age shooting arrows into a target leaned against a big canvas bag. The boy, wearing a tank top that only went to his belly button, let off another arrow. It hit near dead center, next to a few other arrows near the same spot. Catra hollered and clapped. 

The boy looked back and smiled. He noticed Glimmer and stiffened. He seemed unsure what to do for a moment. Glimmer had seen this with other kids. They'd stop what they're doing every time they know she's a princess and just look at her. Just stare like she's not just a kid too. She was allowed to have fun! 

But then his expression softened and he went back to smiling widely. "Hi there!" He shouted across the garden. He waved wildly, his bow clutched in the other hand. Glimmer looked at him a moment and waved back. 

Catra looked back at her and scowled. "Hey sparkles..."

"Hey Catra..." Glimmer stepped closer and then turned back to the boy with the bow and arrows. He grinned and then started firing off shots again. Glimmer watched while twisting the front of her dress in her hands. "...I'm sorry, Catra..." she said quietly. "I should'na tackled you like that...It was...stupid..."

Catra glared at her a moment. Then she just looked confused. "Uh...that's okay...Its okay. " Another arrow pierced the canvas and Glimmer clapped. "...sorry.." Catra mumbled. Glimmer looked over to make sure she heard what she thought she heard but when she looked at Catra she didn't look at her, but kept her eyes forward. 

Glimmer shook her head and watched the boy pull his arrows from the target and slide them into a small box. He jogged over to the two, still with a big bright grin. "Hi! I'm Bow!" 

Catra chuckled. "You're named Bow...and you use a bow and arrow?" 

"..Yeah..." Bow said, smiling but clearly a little nervous. "What are your names?"

"I'm Glimmer!" Glimmer practically shouted. Catra covered her ears with the heels of her palms. 

"Geez! Sparkles! Volume!" She huffed. 

Catra had 'sensitive hearing'. Her mother told her it meant she can hear things way better and easier than she could. It was another annoying thing about Catra. She would hear EVERYTHING. Plus she knows for certain Catra hides and listens to people when they don't know she's around. Sometimes she'd find out something and tell her. Like when she found out a maid in the castle was girlfriends with a cook and they just chatted all night about what being girlfriends must be like. That was a good night....maybe Catra can listen in on people sometimes... but not when it's her, then it was annoying. 

Catra crossed her arms. "My name's Catra." Bow giggled and she raised an eyebrow at him. "What? What's so funny?"

"You made fun of my name...but...You're a cat."

"Yeah?" Catra seemed uneasy with where this was going. Her tail was bristling. "What's it to you?"

Bow made a little waving motion, as if to try and dispel the tension in the air physically. "It's nothing...It's just...you're a cat named Catra. It's funny." He gave a small smile. 

Catra eyed him suspiciously a moment. "Yeah well whatever...I didn't pick it..."

"I mean...I didn't pick my name either." He laughed. 

"Still use a bow though...Huh arrow boy?..." Catra's sour mood seemed to have left her. She leaned into Bow and looked at his weapons. His bow was clearly one made for beginners, the material was cheap and the arrows looked homemade. Not bad. And they were worn. Not like the big shiny bows and arrows Glimmer had seen the castle guards carrying. "How long have you been shooting?"

"Oh! Not too long. Like a year? I asked some of the archers here at the castle and they were super nice enough to set aside some time to help teach me! I've always loved bow and arrows! And arrows are cool because you can make them do all sorts of stuff! I read in an inventor's magazine that some people put really small beacons on them so you can shoot an arrow into a tree and never get lost! You can find your way back as long as you have the pad that goes with it! Isn't that cool?!"

Glimmer nodded. "Super cool! It'd be really nice to have one of those beacon things when me and Catra go into the woods! We get lost so easy!"

"You get lost easy. I do just fine..." Catra snarked. 

Glimmer let out a little annoyed grunt. "Whatever..."

"So...Arrow boy, do you know how to use any other weapons?"

Bow thought for a moment. "Not really...what about you?"

"I have basic training with a staff, and a few hours with a knife....I've logged 612 hours of one on one hand to hand combat training..."

Glimmer looked at Catra a moment. She looked proud but also so small suddenly. She never talked much about before she came to Brightmoon. She'd say some remarks about the Horde here and there, but when Glimmer pushed it, or asked questions she'd say anything she could to shift the subject. It made understanding her that much harder.

"Wow! Do you think you can teach me stuff?! That'd be so cool!"

"Wait...why do you wanna learn all this stuff, Bow?" Glimmer asked. 

Bow's smile somehow got wider as he put his fists on his hips and struck a pose. "I wanna fight in the rebellion!"

Glimmer giggled at his enthusiastic posing. Catra scoffed and pointed her eyes to the ground. Glimmer looked at Catra a moment and then noticed how her tail was wrapping around herself. She turned back to bow. "That's awesome Bow! I have magic powers...cuz I'm a princess. And when my mom lets me fight I'm gonna use my magic to punch bad guys!"

"What about you Catra? Why'd you learn all the cool fighting stuff you know?" Bow asked cheerfully. Glimmer suddenly felt her knees buckle. She wasn't sure why, but maybe out of pure awkward nervousness. The implications weren't hitting Glimmer fast, but the already shifting mood in the air around Catra sure was. 

Catra wrapped her arms around herself. "I didn't have a choice..." She looked away.

"Oh..." Bow's smile fell. "Well like...were your parents--"

Catra turned and leaned into Bow snarling. "Can you just shut up?!" Bow backed up while Catra panted and growled under breath. 

Glimmer reached her hand out to Catra. "Catra...It's okay. We were just talking. It's okay. We can go get cakes or something!" She looked up at the princess and wiped her hand across her cheek, Glimmer assumed, to wipe away a tear. 

"Fine...but it better be the yellow ones and not the chocolate....those ones make me sick..." She said in her normal grumpy tone. 

Glimmer looked at Bow and looked at his confused face shift to a small smile. "Can Bow come too?" 

Catra shrugged. "It's whatever. Up to him." 

"Sure!" Bow exclaimed. 

"Yay!" Glimmer looked at Catra a moment and waited for her to make eye contact with her, then grinned. Catra seemed to gather what she was about to say and got into a sprinter's starting stance. "Race you! Bow you better keep up!"

"Huh?"

"You gotta run like regular too Sparkles! No magic! "

Glimmer laughed. "Ready. Set. Go!" And they were off down the hall. Bow's voice hollering after them as they barreled toward the kitchen.


	4. Chapter 4

Being a queen came with an near endless laundry list of duties, responsibilities and obligations. One of the many tiresome obligations were the near weekly dinners or balls or galas that required the queen's attendance. Usually she barely even got to mingle beyond short and awkward diplomatic discussions. Often she would be prepared to slink into her quarters after a long hard day, tired and ready to fall into bed only to be reminded she had a festival banquet to attend.

This was one of those evenings. This morning she had already awoken irritable and wanting nothing more than to roll over and go back to sleep, but the moment one of her attendants reminded her of the banquet celebrating the visit from the elders of Alwyn that evening she had to stifle a very undignified groan. She envied the comatose in that moment. A bed sounded so nice. 

Her mood was not improved by her girls' bickering over breakfast. Catra had been with them for over a year now and in that time Angella has grown to see her as another daughter. She was certain Catra didn't see her as a mother, The Horde didn't have mothers after all, but she hoped she may at least see her as someone with her best interest at heart. She wanted Catra to perhaps see her as someone who will listen, and care for her. To love her as any decent mother should love a child. 

But right now that girl was getting on her last nerve. Catra was in a combative mood this morning it seems, arguing with Glimmer and herself over every little thing. Breakfast wasn't cooked right, Glimmer was chewing too loudly, Angella was asking too many questions...It seemed as though Catra was determined to be difficult this morning. 

"Gods! Sparkles! Can you stop scraping your fork on your plate!? Fuck!" Catra snapped. 

"Catra! We do not use that language at the table!" Angella admonished. 

"Whatever." Catra speared a sausage with her fork. She shoved it in her mouth and chewed with her mouth opened. "...tell Sparkles to stop being so annoying..."

"I'm just eating!" Glimmer said, frustrated, but groggy from sleep. 

Catra on the other hand clearly had been up for hours already. Her eyes looked so tired. "Well eat quieter! I don't want to have to tell you again!" Catra growled. 

"How'd did you girls sleep?"

"Fine." Catra answered immediately. 

"Hmm." Angella simply hummed. She looked to Glimmer for her answer and found her asleep, propped up on one hand while the other still clenched her fork. Angella cleared her throat loudly and Glimmer bolted up right and then groggily when back to eating. "I take it you didn't sleep well Glimmer?"

She turned her half lidded tired eyes to her mother. "Uh--I slept fine....just want to sleep more is all..."

"Hmm." Angella hummed again. "Well I hope both of you feel well rested before this evening because there will be a banquet for the visiting Elders of Alwyn and I would like you to be there." Angella looked directly at Catra. "Both of you."

Catra shot the queen a glare. "No. I told you I don't like going to those things. I don't want to be there."

"This isn't a request, young lady, this is a command. You will come to dinner this evening and you will enjoy it."

Catra thew her fork across the table, rattling Glimmer from her drowsy stupor. "Why?! Why do you even want me there?! So you can show off your little charity case?! I'm not doing it!" She stood up and ran out of the dinning hall. 

Glimmer called after her but Catra was gone. She turned back to Angella. She looked up at her mother with a confused sadness a moment and then let her expression drop. She went back to eating in silence, but, Glimmer's growing frustration was clear with every stab of her fork. 

"...she's mad at me but I don't know why..." Glimmer finally said, so quietly Angella barely heard her. 

Angella sighed. "No, dear, she's mad at me. She's mad at the world...She has every right to be angry, even if she doesn't know why she's angry. I need to talk to her, I think."

Glimmer kept her eyes on her plate as she ran the prongs of her fork against the top of a piece of melon. "...What if I said something without realizing it? What if she really is mad about something I did?"

"All you can do is try and talk to her when you think she's willing to listen, dear. Just be there for her. "

Glimmer nodded slowly, seemingly processing her mother's words. "Okay. I'll try mom..."

"Good." Angella smiled gently and went back to her meal. 

* * * * *

That night, Angella came to Glimmer and Catra's room and found only Glimmer there getting ready. Angella surveyed the room and found it a mess. She shook her head a moment. She was frustrated with the girls for letting their living quarters get to such a state. She had told the staff not to clean their room to help teach them to be responsible for their living space and belongings but, apparently, they've just decided to neglect cleaning all together. 

Angella let out a small breath. Talking to them about it will have to wait, right now she was more concerned with making sure Glimmer was ready, and to hopefully talk to Catra. Her attendance tonight wasn't that important, but she had insisted because frankly...she had wanted Catra there. She wanted to just spend time with Glimmer and Catra together. To give Catra a chance to experience a fun and carefree night. And she just wanted to maybe help the girl feel truly welcome here. 

"Where is Catra?" Angella asked. Glimmer looked at her through her vanity's mirror and gave a sad half shrug. "Hmm."

"...I didn't wanna make her more mad so I just have been hoping she'll show up...but she hasn't..."

"That's okay Glimmer. She probably needed her space." She gave her daughter a gentle squeeze on the shoulder as the girl brushed out her hair. "Though right now, I'm a bit concerned. I'll go find her. You can head to the banquet when you're ready, dear. I'll see you there." 

"Okay, mom. Tell her I'll save her those little shrimp things she likes."

Angella smiled and gave a nod. "Of course."

Angella tried to recall all of the little places in the castle she'd seen Catra lounging or sleeping. She found her way to the library and took a look inside and searched the rafters and took a stroll around the top floor, seeing if Catra had been curled up on one of the love seats. No luck. She then took a right and headed down the long corridor that lead out to the east gardens. The guards stationed near the door gave her a quick glance and saluted as she headed for the bench she'd often see Catra sleeping on during sunny late afternoons. It was in front of a fountain with a statue of Angella's grandmother holding her mother's hand on a pedestal. 

Catra wasn't there, but Angella found herself looking up at the visage of her mother as a young girl. She took a few slow breaths and looked into her mother's stone eyes. She ran her fingers along the figure's empty hand a moment and then turned her head up toward the last hiding spot she could think of. The north tower. 

With a flap of her wings Angella took off quickly for the top of the tower. She had seen Catra sat up on slanted roof a few times during one of her late night flights. She would often hurry out to the gardens and take flight when walks didn't burn off the nervous energy. She'd seen the sight of the small magicat's silhouette against the moons a few times, but by the time she had reached her to asked if she was alright, she'd be gone. 

The tower came into view and, sure enough, the young cat girl was sitting on the roof of the tower, her eyes pointed at the whispering woods. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and her tail was wrapped around herself. Angella slowed her speed and delicately landed. The angle of the roof seemed much less severe once you were standing on it. She awkwardly walked over toward Catra, using her wings to help her balance, and sat down next to her. 

"What do you want, your majesty?" Catra grumbled, her eyes still on the horizon. 

"Catra...Don't be like that." Angella said, gently. 

"Like what?!" Catra turned her head sharply toward Angella. "Annoying?! Frustrating?! Disobedient?!" She scoffed. "Just go away..."

"No." Angella said firmly. Catra's teeth clenched. "I'm talking to you Catra. That's all you have to do. Just talk. That's all I ask."

Catra turned her head back toward the woods and slumped. "Fine. Talk."

Angella let out a sigh and folded her hands together. "I didn't intend to make you feel like you were a 'charity case', Catra. If that's how it's come across I am very terribly sorry. I took you in because I could see you were scared and needed care. And..frankly I care about you Catra..."

"Pfft. Sounds like charity to me..." She dug her claws into her knees and hid her face. "...I don't need your pity..."

"It's not pity, Catra." Her voice was stern. "You deserve to be cared for. To be taken care of. You are such a wonderful young woman, Catra. You're clever, and funny, and oh so brave. You are so brave, Catra. You have been through so much. I can't even begin to know what any of that was like. But for you to be here right now, to be such a bright and strong after all of that....Catra I am so proud of you."

Catra started to shake. Angella pulled her into her arms and ran her fingers through Catra's hair. "I want you here Catra. Glimmer wants you here. And I want you to know you can talk to me about anything. I may be busy but that doesn't mean I won't make time. I've told Glimmer as much many times, and now I'm telling you. You can always come to me." 

Catra nuzzled into Angella's side and quietly sobbed. "It's okay, dear. I'm here. Just let yourself cry. I have you." Angella quietly hummed as she ran her hand along Catra's back. 

"...I don't deserve this..." Catra quietly said.

"Shush. None of that. " Angella placed a small kiss on top of Catra's head. "You deserve love and care, Catra. You're a child and you deserve love and kindness. You are so good, Catra." 

Catra started to cry harder. Heavy, shuddering cries. They shook Angella's body as she held her. Angella simply held tighter, trying to remind Catra she was safe. As Angella gently ran her hands against Catra's arms, to soothe her, she couldn't keep her eyes off of the scars under Catra's fur. It made Angella's fury rise. She would make the people who hurt this child pay. 

She let out a long breath and let the anger temper. Catra didn't need righteous fury right now. She need calm and kindness. She would give this girl every thing she needed. Everything she deserved, whether she felt like she deserved them or not. 

As Angella's thoughts swirled, Catra's shaky crying slowed. Angella watched her rub the tears off her cheeks, and look back at the woods. "I feel so stupid...I...I keep missing that place...It was my home...but I hate it so much..." She clenched her eyes closed. "It's so stupid..."

"It is not stupid. It's okay to both miss and hate a place, or a thing...or a person...Emotions are strong and powerful things. And they're also confusing and nonsensical. Especially when those emotions are tied up in places or people you'd rather forget."

Catra looked up at Angella a moment. Her eyes were wet and sad. But she also seemed contemplative. "...I miss...people there...People I grew up with. I haven't seen them in so long...and...I don't...what if they've forgotten me?...wh-what if they died months ago and I don't even know?"

Angella ran her fingers along Catra's bangs as she spoke. "No one could forget someone like you, Catra. You're quite memorable." She smiled down at the cat girl. She looked at Angella a moment before letting a small smile come to her face. 

"I guess that's true..." She said with a small bit of smugness, while sniffing and wiping more tears away with the heel of her palms. 

"Catra I'm sure they're thinking about you too. And I'm sure they miss you every day. I know I would." 

Catra's smile grew a little and she pushed her head against Angella's side. She sat pressed against Angella a moment. Then turned her eyes back to woods. "I hope they get away from that place some day..."

Angella placed her hand on top of Catra's head and looked off where Catra's eyes were planted. "I hope so too..." Angella then wraps her arms around Catra in a warm embrace. "You don't have to go to the banquet if you don't want to Catra. I just liked the idea of you being there, with Glimmer and I. I know we could never replace those that were in your life before, and I would never dream of doing such a thing. I just... I know you don't really have families in the Horde, but perhaps...one day...You'll think of us as your family."

Catra looked at her, seemingly stunned a moment. Then her eyes watered again, and she bit her lip. She simply nodded and turned her eyes back to the horizon. They sat and looked out at the trees for a long moment. 

"...do you think there's still food?" Catra asked quietly. 

Angella chuckled. "I'm sure there is. Glimmer also said she'd save you some shrimp puffs."

"Oh! I like those things!" Catra hopped to her feet, while Angella climbed to hers' slower. Catra started to make her way to climb back down to the window when Angella put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Shall I?" Angella asked with a grin. Catra smiled wide and nodded her head furiously. Angella pulled Catra close and wrapped her arms around her. "Hold onto my arms tightly, alright?" Catra nodded again and clung onto Angella's wrists. With that Angella spread her wings, and with a few flaps, she and Catra were in the air and gliding down toward the castle courtyard. Catra's wild, joyous laughter echoed through the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Glimmer would often hear Catra mumble and scream things in her sleep. She had had nightmares before but they didn't compare to whatever Catra experienced most nights. Glimmer had tried to bring it up one morning and that just resulted in Catra yelling at her and disappearing for the rest of the day and sneaking into the room right before bedtime. 

But somehow, tonight was worse. She had never heard Catra scream like this. Heaving, hoarse yelps bounced off the walls of their shared bedroom. Catra's claws were dug into her mattress, shredding it and leaving the soft innards flung across the floor. The bed shook as Catra's trembling became violent tremors. 

Glimmer let out a soft gasp and rolled to the edge of her floating bed. She watched the bed wiggle and bang against the floor a moment before letting herself drop. She teleported as soon as she felt her body leave her sheets and found herself softly dropping next to Catra instead of the floor below her bed. 

Catra's claws were fully extended and buried inches deep into the mattress. Glimmer thought about shaking Catra awake but thought it wasn't a wise thing to do, considering. Instead she decided to simply prod her awake with her voice. "Catra?" She stirred and growled but didn't wake so Glimmer tried again, but louder. "Catra?!" 

The cat girl bolted up in her bed, claws ripping deep trenches in her mattress as she pulled them up to protect her face. Glimmer watched Catra pant through cold sweat, her eyes dim and unfocused. She seemed so far away.

"...Catra?.." Glimmer tried again, her hands in front of her, trying to show she isn't going to hurt her. She watched Catra slowly turn to look at her. Her face contorted into a miserable grimace, and tears poured from her mismatched eyes. "I'm here, Catra. I'm here." Glimmer whispered as she gently slid up onto the side of Catra's ruined bed. She slowly, carefully wrapped Catra up in her arms. "I'm here." She continued quietly murmuring into Catra's ear.

Catra sat rigid in Glimmer's embrace while sobs shook her body. She stayed that way for so long that Glimmer was afraid Catra didn't want her to be holding her. But as soon as she started to worry, Catra slumped into her embrace and the quiet sobs were replaced with loud screaming wails. She just hollered through tears while Glimmer held her firmly. 

Slowly, Catra stopped crying and instead was just leaning against Glimmer. It felt like every bit of life left her and all she could do was curl up and have glimmer carry her weight. She gently laid Catra back down on the bed, shifted her position, and rolled over to keep holding her. "I'll hold you and keep you safe, Catra...." Glimmer murmured as she watched Catra's wet eyes flutter closed. The cat girl gave a shaky nod as she rolled into Glimmer and hid her face in her chest. 

As Catra drifted off Glimmer heard her mumble quietly. "...good night, Adora..."

* * * * *

Glimmer woke up to Catra curled up between her bed's headboard and the wall, her knees pulled up to her chest. She caught Glimmer's eyes and just stared. Her eyes were red and puffy. Glimmer couldn't tell if they were agitated from the night of crying or if she'd been crying this morning too. "Good...morning..." Glimmer croaked out. The cat girl just kept looking at her. "...Did....did you want to talk about your nightmare?..."

"No!" Catra shouted from behind her knees. She growled under her breath and pulled her knees tighter to her chest. "Leave me alone!"

Glimmer slowly nodded and slid off of Catra's bed. "Okay. I'm gonna go get breakfast....um....did you want me to bring you back those strawberry tarts you like?"

Catra just stared at her. Her expression was hard to read with her legs blocking her mouth and her hair hiding her eyebrows. Her tail wiggled a bit and then she let out a small growl. "Fine..." She mumbled. "But don't think I'm gonna do something stupid like talk to you....I just like the tarts..."

Glimmer couldn't help but grin a moment before she tried to make her face neutral and gave a firm nod. "Of course. I'll be right back!" Glimmer disappeared in a puff of sparkles. 

When Glimmer returned, a tray full of tarts and glasses of milk in hand, she found Catra pulling the shredded sheets off of her bed. She stared down at the deep gashes in the mattress and let her arms drop to her sides. Suddenly she looked up at Glimmer. Glimmer wasn't sure if Catra had just noticed she was there or not, but she just stared at her for a long moment. "What do I tell anybody? what do I say?"

Glimmer lifted the tray slightly before setting it down on her desk. "Here's your tarts." Glimmer simply says. Hopefully food will calm the cat girl and they can figure out what to tell her mother. She gave Catra a small smile and offered a tart to her. She snatched it up and slid onto the floor, taking a huge bite out of the pastry. 

Silence filled the room as Catra slowly chewed and looked up at the ceiling. She swallowed hard and kept her eyes firmly set on the nothing above her. "I ruined the bed..."

Glimmer looked at the mattress a moment, grabbed a tart of her own and slid down next to Catra on the floor. The cat girl looked at her out of the corner of her golden left eye before taking another bite. 

"You're going to have to tell someone about your nightmares, eventually..." Glimmer mumbled through her full mouth, her dark purple eyes casted at the ground. "If only so people understand this sorta thing," Glimmer said, gently flopping her head back to indicate the bed, "is an accident." 

Catra let out a long ragged sigh. "It's so fucking stupid, Sparkles..."

Glimmer shrugged. "So? My nightmares are stupid too. They're nightmares. All nightmares are stupid. Doesn't mean talking about them doesn't help." Catra turned her head toward her and furrowed her brow. "Look. I'll tell you one of mine and then you tell me yours. Well as much as you're willing to say, okay? Deal?"

She seemed to think about it a moment, then Catra gave a gentle nod. "Okay." Glimmer sighed. "There's this one I have even month or two...at least that I remember....I'm laying in bed, not sleeping. Just laying. It's dark but the moonstone feels like it right behind my head and squished into my room. It's quiet. Impossibly quiet. Until I hear my dad's voice down the hall...." Glimmer pulled her knees to her chest as her eyes grew dimmer and cloudy, grasping for the images that startled her awake at night. "Suddenly, there's no door to my room and he's standing there. Tall, and broad, and dark. I know it's him. I know it's my father. Even when he has no eyes....

"He talks to me like I vaguely remember. Gentle. Warm. Kind. But it all feels so far away and his mouth is covered in shadows. He's leaning over me, running a finger through my hair. Until his hand turns into mud. His whole body is mud. Mud and dirt and ash. And suddenly in my door way is Hordak...

"You probably know what he looks like better than me." She chuckled darkly. "But in my dreams he towers in the doorway, his dark red eyes somehow shine brighter than the moonstone. And that cruel light is trained right on me. He knows I want to kill him but I'm just a kid so he just smiles at me. I always wake up to that smile."

Catra looked at her. The tiredness on her face seemed to have deepened. She then turned her eyes back to the ceiling, sniffing a bit. "I'm sorry..."

Glimmer shrugged. "I'm afraid of Hordak...I'm afraid of the Horde....I miss my dad. That's why I dream about it. Think about it. I told my mom about those dreams. It helped. She had to pry it out of me of course." Glimmer laughed, a lot more lively than just a moment ago. "But if I hadn't talked to her I wouldn't be able to fight off the way they made me feel. The way they stuck in my head for the rest of the day. I had to get it out of my head. I had to let my mom help me understand why they made me feel the way they did."

"And now the nightmares don't bother you anymore?"

"No. They do. I still wake up scared and a little confused. But it's less. The nightmares just...have less power when I tell people about them..."

Catra hummed and put the last bit of her tart in her mouth and chewed a moment. She leaned her head back against the side of the bed, letting out a small defeated noise. Her tail flipped up and wrapped around her leg. "Fine." She finally said.

Glimmer smiled, and turned her body to face Catra. "Tell me whatever you need to." 

Catra's face softened as her eyes darted to the ground, clearly searching her mind for where to start. She took a sharp breath. "...I was raised by this woman named Shadow Weaver..."


End file.
